Roger Clemens on Not Getting Voted Into Hall of Fame: ‘In the Rear View Mirror’

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner fell short of receiving 75% of the vote in his 10th and final year on the writers’ ballot.

The Baseball Hall of Fame’s class of 2022—as voted by sportswriters—featured just one player in David Ortiz. Four of the game’s most prolific players from his era—Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Curt Schilling—all fell short of receiving 75% of votes in what was their 10th and final year on the ballot.

Shortly after the results were revealed, Clemens took to Twitter to address not getting elected once again.

Hey y’all! I figured I’d give y’all a statement since it’s that time of the year again. My family and I put the HOF in the rear view mirror ten years ago. I didn’t play baseball to get into the HOF. I played to make a generational difference in the lives of my family. (Thread)

— Roger Clemens (@rogerclemens) January 25, 2022

Then focus on winning championships while giving back to my community and the fans as well. It was my passion. I gave it all I had, the right way, for my family and for the fans who supported me. I am grateful for that support.  I would like to thank those who took the time to

— Roger Clemens (@rogerclemens) January 25, 2022

look at the facts and vote for me. Hopefully everyone can now close this book and keep their eyes forward focusing on what is really important in life. All love! 🤟

— Roger Clemens (@rogerclemens) January 25, 2022

“My family and I put the HOF in the rear view mirror ten years ago. I didn’t play baseball to get into the HOF ... It was my passion,” Clemens wrote. “I gave it all I had, the right way, for my family and for the fans who supported me. I am grateful for that support. I would like to thank those who took the time to look at the facts and vote for me.”

Bonds, Clemens and Sosa have become the symbolic faces of the steroids era, and that association with performance-enhancing drugs ultimately proved to be too much to overcome with the writers. Clemens won at least 20 games six times and led the league in strikeouts five times. He won more Cy Young Awards (seven) than any other pitcher and finished his career with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts.